82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas — Being selected as one of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year is no walk in the park — and it’s not an individual accomplishment, either. It takes family dedication, selfless service, faith and sacrifice, according to Master Sgt. Timothy Mason and his wife, Lisa.
Mason, from Hanover, Maryland, was selected as one of the 12 OAY for 2015. He was the Air Education and Training Command’s functional manager for aircraft hydraulic and electrical systems at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, when his leadership notified him of his selection.
Since then, he and his wife moved to Hill Air Force Base in Utah, where he works as the detachment chief for the 372nd Training Squadron, Detachment 3. His wife works tirelessly at home as a dedicated mom, providing support and encouragement wherever needed.
"She is the backup for the whole family," Mason said. "She is the one that pushes everybody and makes sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to do."
Mason and his wife have a 20-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old son. Finding time to balance work with family was never easy, but together they found ways to get the job done while spending quality time with the family.
Though like most Airmen, Mason’s time was split between work, volunteering and his family, he was fortunate in having his wife beside him to help with some of his volunteer work. On occasion, she would go with him and offer her time to cook meals for Airmen who lived in the base dormitories.
"It was the only way any of this was possible," Mason said, talking about his family. "To go out and do things for the Air Force requires time, and sometimes that’s time away from your family."
It wasn’t always easy for them, but they found strength in volunteering together.
"Giving to the community is something that we decided on doing together as a family," his wife said. "That is how I support him … It’s not easy for us all the time to coordinate our efforts, but we get to spend time together as a family and get to give back to the community."
During a phone interview with Mason’s wife, Lisa was caught without words to describe how much it actually meant to them to give back to the Air Force. "They (speaking about the Air Force) have done so much for us," she said. "We get to give back to the Air Force and we feel good about that. That’s something we hope we can inspire in other people to do as well … this is a family effort."
Every Airman makes the same promise when they join the Air Force — to "support and defend the constitution of the United States of America." Mason said that by having faith in the Air Force, teammates and family, to take care of the mission, he was able to focus on doing what needed to be done to the best of his abilities.
"It helps knowing my wife is right there beside me," he said.
